GE (NYSE: GE) is investing more than $5 million in 2014 in its Mebane manufacturing operations – a move that plant manager Jeff Blakeman says means jobs.

The investment will transition Mebane’s operations to a dedicated, regional customer experience center. There, teams will work to streamline manufacturing process and bring new electrical distribution technologies to market. Production of transfer switches will also be included in the transition.

To start, the production of GE’s automatic transfer switches intended for the data center market will create 60 jobs. Blakeman says that could be just the start.

“We’re looking to tap into North Carolina’s vast talent pool,” he says.

The Mebane plant manufactures lighting panels, power panels, low and medium voltage motor control equipment, switchgear and electrical vehicle charging stations. Currently, the facility has more than 500 employees. That brings the company back to employment levels seen in the early 2000s.